Unspoken Words
by Emerin
Summary: Perhaps the words had some deeper meaning, perhaps not. Draco and Harry hardly ever said more than what was absolutely necessary. And some things, like promises of eternal devotion and apologies, weren't needed.xSLASH DracoHarry x


Hullo Gentle Readers!

Yes, I know, I should be shot and strung up on a lampost. But I just can't help myself sometimes. I heard this song awhile ago and its been sitting in my inbox subjected "Drarry drama oneshot". So, it was beyond my control when I saw a yaoi vid that inspired me to write a nice drarry piece. I think it turned out well. Had my Noah and my mum read it and they both loved it. This coming from my mum, Ms.Anti-Slash herself.

If i get enough praise, I might just be arsed to finish my last chapter of GRAVITY.heh. BLACKMAIL! WOOT!

Enjoy and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!

* * *

Times were difficult. Dangerous. Seemed no one could step outside their house without risking attack or death. There was fear and panic and paranoia. People accused their closest friends and neighbors, tension was so thick it strangled the entire world.

He would've felt all this, too, had it not been for his questionable situation. Being locked away in a cell for who knew how long DID have its advantages. He was spared the horror of seeing everything he once knew and held dear crumble round his ears. Oh, he heard the whispered boasts and hummed updates. He knew what was going on, but he didn't have to see it. He didn't have to live it.

The soft clink of metal on metal echoed in the dark cell as he shifted to sit back on his sore bum. Stupid Death-Eaters, bunch of perverted sadists was what they were. The thought that he'd spent many a Christmas with those freaks made him shudder. A sigh escaped his dry throat as he hung his head and slumped back against the jagged stone wall.  
Father hadn't come for almost a week. No word of how mother was taking this had come. No one had passed by in HOURS...Something was happening, he was sure of it. Something big had happened. The two Death-Eaters assigned to guard his cell had left in a hurry about 10 minutes ago, so whatever was happening had apparently reached this deteriating section of mountain in Manitoba.

His head snapped up as the resounding thud of footfalls came racing down the pathway infront of his tiny cell. He saw as two figures whisked past, then backtrack to surprisingly stop in the archway of the cell.

"I found Malfoy!"

His eyes narrowed suspiciously as the figures advanced towards him rather quickly. A spark jumped from the tip of a wand that aimed at his head and he closed his eyes, steeling himself against the inevitable.

But the next moment, his wrists fell free of the wall and the shackles round his bare ankles dropped away. He couldn't help but feel dazed and very confused. Then a soft but powerful voice spoke through the darkness and he understood.

"You will pay for the shit you pulled, but not at the hands of THEM. Either come with us or I kill you now."

He somehow got to his feet and ignoring the searing pain racing up his stiff legs, he scrambled after the pair towards the thick of the fray. Hexes were bouncing off the stone, causing bits to explode and hit anyone nearby. He was hastily shoved onward, stumbling and slamming against the wall as he tried to stay out of the line of fire.

"Did you find him!"

"Yeah! He was down the way from Snape!"

"Where's Snape!"

"Dead!"

His heart stopped briefly as the shouted conversation tapered off into orders and he was shoved forward. His thoughts going a million miles a minute, he had hardly the sense of mind to duck and shuffle across the rocky floor, following the hunched body infront of him.

Soon he was free of the mountain wall and scrambling down the sloping side, slipping, stumbling, falling. He landed in a panting heap at the bottom, a tree trunk slammed up against his back. He curled up, gasping, shivering, crying, for what felt like hours, unaware of the people gathering nearby one by one.

A foot prodded his knee and he struggled to sit up.

"Looks like hell, don't he?"

"You would too if you were kept locked in a cave for a month."

"What now, Harry?"

"...Harry?"

Fingers grasped his chin roughly and he was forced to look up into the face of one, Harry Potter. The boy was pale with emotion, flames of green fire flickering in his eyes.

"We did you a favor by saving you. They had planned for your execution later today by means of walking straight into the Ministry."

"Death by suicide mission. Sure do hold you in high regards, don't they?"

He instantly recognized the voice as Weasley's, so that must mean the entire group surrounding him was Potter's elusive "Dumbledore's Army." They'd disappeared shortly after Dumbledore's funeral according to the Death-Eaters gossip and had been nothing short of infuriating to the Dark Lord since then, what with their foiling half of his raids and attacks.

His eyes flickered over the faces of his old classmates. They'd matured a lot, no more baby fat or carefree wave to their hair. They all looked like they'd had a worse time of it than he had.

His chin was jerked back to face Potter painfully and he was ashamed of the resulting flinch.

"Your parents are dead, Malfoy."

His pale eyes widened and his gaze lost focus."...what..."

"About a week ago there was a surprise raid of Malfoy Manor and Lucius had been there. The Aurors killed him and Narcissa was caught in the crossfire." Potter said in a quiet but firm voice that held no room for misunderstandings.

He looked down, the world spinning faster and faster and faster. That was why father hadn't come by...why he hadn't heard anything...why he was being ignored...

His quick breakdown must've been quite obvious since Potter harshly dismissed the others.

A tear rolled down his cheek as the trembling seeped into his bones. He was alone. Completely alone..._all alone_...A choked sob escaped his lips and he hung his head as tears flowed freely. A hand, far too gently, rested on his shoulder and squeezed as he cried into his filthy shaky hands.

this time, this place. misused; mistakes. too long. too late. who was i to make you wait?  
just one chance, just one breath, just incase there's just one left.  
cause you know.  
you know.  
you KNOW...

"Don't put that there, Potter."

"But it BELONGS here, Malfoy."

"It looks better by the window. The light can catch it."

"WHAT light?"

"Whatever light decides to come in."

He watched as the brunette grunted his protest but hung up the crystal wind chime infront of the living room window anyway. A small smile crept into his lips and he threw a pillow at the boy. Potter turned and chuckled, throwing the pillow back.  
They'd been moving things into Snape's old house all day. Since Severus' death a week prior, the group had decided it be the best place to setup headquarters since the man had made it unplottable just before he died and no one would think to bother to look for the surly Severus Snape's dilapidated shack.

"That seems to be the last of it." He stated, wiping his hands clean on the seat of his pants.

Potter parted the thick grey curtains just enough to test out Draco's theory and smiled reluctantly as the tiny bits of sunshine peeking through the rain clouds shone onto the crystals, throwing shards of rainbows round the living room. "Think Snape would've passed a stone seeing a rainbow in his house."

Draco snorted fondly, tossing the last of the throw pillows onto the old couch they'd saved from some street corner in Dupree.

It was odd the two boys ended up getting along so well. For all their hissing and frequent spats, they were so much alike it was uncanny. Both stubborn and proud and driven and opinionated and secretive and guarded and fiercely protective of what was theirs. Weasley had mentioned it in passing and Granger had casually remarked and Longbottom muttered it under his breath to Weaselette and Thomas had snickered about it during supper one night, but none of them had come right out and said anything. But they did seem displeased, which suited Draco just fine.

It wasn't HIS fault he understood Potter more than any of them. It didn't take an Auror to figure out that when the brunette got quiet, it usually meant he was either outmaneuvering Voldemort's next attack or brooding, or when he bit the corner of his lip and frowned, it meant he was pissed off at something he didn't want to mention or when his eyebrow quirked, but the rest of his face remained impassive, it meant he was intrigued but decided not to say so.

Potter was all about subtle facial expressions. It seemed to be the only way he expressed himself anymore. No wonder Weasley and Granger were so on edge all the time, what with their leader being more or less a silent, intimidating figure.

Draco had no problem with him, however. Potter reminded him of himself and therefore, had been a great asset to the group in determining what the Gryffindor's mood was. Alas, it seemed that was ALL the group was grateful for. This had been the first afternoon when hateful glares and suspicious leers didn't follow him.

Oh, they'd pitched a hell of a fit when Potter declared that Draco was to join their cause. Even Draco himself would've argued, had he the ability to do so. The shock of losing his parents had still not yet faded.  
He remembered the boy's words though and it all brought a sardonic smile to his face as he leaned a hip against the kitchen sink, fresh water suddenly filling the tub brimming with dirty dishes.

_"I said, Malfoy is staying with us."_

_"But-what-WHY!" Dean exclaimed._

_"He's a Death-Eater, Harry. He's sure to escape and give away our headquarters."_

_"I agree with Neville. Its just too soon to tell whether he can be trusted or not. But I'm going with _not

_"I agree too. What with losing his parents, he's sure to want revenge."_

_"You honestly think I'd let him go back after what they did-- Ugh! This topic is not up for debate. He's staying with us, the end."_

_Ron crossed his arms and scowled."Not even gonna listen to us, eh? Never knew you were such an arrogant arsehole."_

_"Piss off."_

Draco supposed Potter's friendship with Weasley had never been the same since. Which might explain why Potter seemed to be so amicable towards him and their budding friendship. It was still...WEIRD.

"Gonna just stare at them in hopes they'll clean themselves?" A voice chuckled from behind him.

Draco sneered sarcastically and got back to scrubbing a plate. He would've done it magically, but seeing as his wand had been destroyed when he was imprisoned, it didn't seem a likely option. Besides, the tedious chores he usually blew through in seconds with magic, now took a fond place in his day. When everyone went off on missions, leaving him all by his lonesome, he would clean to keep his thoughts away from the darker aspects of his life.

He heard a thunk and glanced over his shoulder to see Potter seated at the rickety table. His green eyes were dark and unfocused as his fingertips absently stroked a flower Draco had earlier cut from Snape's garden. With a sigh, he turned back around, rinsing off dishes as he spoke." Either come help me or get your brooding arse out of my kitchen."

He heard Potter give a gentle scoff and the chair groaned as the boy stood up. He felt more than saw Potter come to stand near his elbow as he quietly set to drying off the dishware with a thick paisley towel.

The task was done in complete companionable silence, as was many of their tasks. The boys rarely exchanged words in these moments, instead cherishing the times of peace when no one bothered them with worries or news or questions or accusations or spats. It was just doing the dishes, nothing more, nothing less.

"So I think we should tackle the garden next." Potter said evenly, placing the last plate in the cabinet.

"Let me find a herbology book then. Can't have us pulling up crucial plants we might need for potions." Draco answered, drying his hands on the towel Potter handed him.

"I'll meet you outside then."

"Alright."

And just like that, their next task began. So simple. Why had they fought for so long when things were as easy as this? Ah, yes. Lucius Malfoy and Ron Weasley.

A few minutes later found the two boys in the backgarden (if you could call it that), maneuvering their way through the tangle of shrubbery and wild trees to the fenced off section just beyond. It wasn't your typical garden, everything lined up in neat rows. Instead, it looked like a chunk of some magical lagoon had been cut then transplanted here in the middle of Britain. A large willow hung lazily over a huge pond, in which toads, blue lizards, dugbugs, and grindylows swam about happily. Pixies, doxies, billywigs and faeries flitted back and forth overhead, playing some sort of game of catch with a few rollie pollies. Murtlaps scuttled under the low leaves of various plants, small and large alike, as Draco and Harry made their way around the perimeter of the fence. It seemed to be a magical barrier, keeping all the creatures from escaping. So, slowly but surely, they started ticking off each plant and creature they found, cross-referencing what they saw in the thin book Draco had found on herbology in Snape's bookshelves.

After about an hour or so, Draco paused, barely noticing it had been only him muttering under his breath for quite some time now. Looking round him, he found Potter seated on a crumbling bit of stone wall circling the pond. He walked over and quietly took a seat near him, absently dipping his fingertip in to play chase with a brilliant sapphire lizard.

"Its so beautiful here." Potter sighed. Draco merely nodded his agreement. "Almost makes me forget there's people dying right at this very moment out there."

Draco turned to look at the boy, frowning. Potter's features had grown so dark, every line shadowed and stern. Not thinking, he reached out and traced a particular frown line that ran from hairline to bridge of nose. Potter blinked and stared at him before a small smile of gratitude quirked his lips.

Draco wrapped his hands back around the notebook and tome, trying to keep his breathing even.

"This place is alot like you, Malfoy." Potter said softly, his voice barely raising above the croaks of the toads." On the outside, ugly and tangled and foreboding, but the inside beautiful and surreal and peaceful."

The silence stretched on, with only the giggles of the winged creatures punctuating the croaks. The flowers swayed in the evening breeze, tickling his scarred, bare ankles. It seemed perhaps the silence would continue on, right until they inevitably had to leave, when Draco smirked softly and said." Did you just call me ugly?"

There was a pause before they both burst out laughing. It hadn't been all that funny, but they shook with laughter nonetheless. There had been less things to laugh about lately, and this seemed the perfect time to push aside all that and just enjoy a few minutes of being seventeen.

It was when Draco turned his head to look at his friend, that things began to change for him.  
With mirth still dancing in those bright green eyes, rosy lips pulled back in a grin, slender frame shaking with giggles and raven hair shimmering silver in the dying light, Draco Malfoy smiled at the boy and thought to himself _'Well...you're just beautiful._'

on my knees, I'll ask, last chance for one last dance.  
cause with you, we'd stand all of hell and I'll hold your hand.  
i give it all, i give for us, give anything but I won't give up.  
cause you know.  
you know.  
you KNOW...

"_Stupefy_!"

The red light would've hit Potter square in the chest, had Draco not thrown him to the ground, covering him with his own pale body. The wind was knocked from them briefly, but taking no time to fret over this, Draco pulled Potter to his feet and practically tore his arm from its socket as they sprinted down the corridor.

"_Impedimenta_!" Potter shouted, throwing the spell over his shoulder as they rounded a corner.

Draco gulped, then pitched forward as the Gryffindor slammed into his back.

"The hell! Keep running!"

"I would if there weren't a WALL in my way!" Draco shot back testily, though his wide silver eyes probably gave him away.

Potter turned and groaned then peeked back round the corner only to barely miss getting his head hacked off by a severing hex. As it was, a lock of his hair had been cut. Draco trembled for some reason, yanking Potter backwards by his sleeve.

"Are you MAD man or do you just not care for that rat's nest you call a head?" Draco seethed.

"I had to check, didn't I?" Potter growled, shooting him a glare that stated plainly 'shout at me again and I'll do worse to YOUR hair'.

"How many?" Draco inquired, patting down his trousers and jacket for any remainder hex bombs.

"Six." Potter grimaced.

Draco cringed and couldn't help but suppress a shiver. Potter caught it, of course, and gave his arm a brief pat of comfort.

"I saw another hallway not too far back that ended in a window. We'll have to make a run for it now if we have any--"

"Let's go then." Draco interrupted, already bracing himself just behind the corner.

Potter smiled grimly and without another word, they shot out from their hiding place to run back down the way they had come. Draco gasped and dodged a streak of red whizzing towards him, evidently slamming sideways into the wall with a groan. Just as he pushed himself from the wall, a sickening crack met his ears and he realized with sinking dread that the sound came from his leg. A moment later, excruciating pain followed the sound and Draco cried out in alarm.

Shouts came from just ahead of them and the spells flew faster._ Shit shit shit,_ Draco thought as he struggled to stand, holding onto a doorknob as he lifted himself up. By the time he saw it coming, it was too late. Grey eyes widened and filled with the bright red light. Breath left his lungs and a moment later he found himself lying on his back, grunts and whimpers of torture coming from his knees. Looking down, he gasped in horror as he saw Potter writhing in agony, sprawled out across his legs.

His mind didn't register anything except making the boy stop. He quickly grabbed Potter's dropped wand and with every cell in his shaking body, he summoned up hate and fury and revenge and something else entirely before screaming, "_AVADA KEDAVRA_!"

The green light was just a shadow in the corner of his eye as he wrapped his arms round the boy and dragged him into the hallway a foot away. Ignoring the pain lacerating up his leg, he draped Potter's arm over his shoulders, hugged his waist and scrambled for the window.

Heavy footfalls were closing in on them from behind as tears of frustration and terror streamed down his pale cheeks. A beam of light hit the wall ahead of him and he didn't pause to think of the repercussions and how utterly HARRY POTTER a move it was before he threw them both out the window, narrowly missing jets of green.

And as he lay with Potter's body heavy atop his own broken one, garbage beneath him, cries of anger far above him and hopes of the DA finding them before the Death-Eaters inside did waning, he wrapped his arms round tighter and exhaled. "Shouldn't be too bad to die like this," he muttered, every word laced with pain.

He closed his eyes, mind swimming in and out of consciousness as he just let himself enjoy the feeling of Potter's heartbeat thrumming against his chest and soft hair tickle his chin. "No...not too bad at all..."

That was when Draco Malfoy's life, and heart, finally silently accepted the change made what felt like so long ago.

i love you. i've loved you all along  
i miss you, from far away, for far too long  
i keep dreaming you'll be with me and you'll never go  
stop breathing if i don't see you anymore

Pale fingertips danced along the surface of the water, white-blond hair swaying gently in the breeze as silver eyes gazed blankly into the water, almost seeing through it.

"Yanno, when you sit like that, almost looks like you're part angel."

Draco slowly looked up from the lizard he had fondly named Nip, to Harry's solemn smile. Scoffing, he turned back to playing with Nip, resting his chin on his forearm as he leaned on the cobbled wall. "You have a cruel sense of humor, Potty."

Leaves rustled and twigs cracked as the brunette made his way over to seat himself on the clovers beside Draco. "How're you feeling?"

"Splendid." Draco answered, drawing circles and figure 8s in the water for Nip to chase. Harry poked the cast encasing his tender broken leg and he hissed.

"Splendid, eh." Harry remarked.

"Well, it WAS splendid before you started prodding it," Draco grumbled, tentatively rubbing away the tinge. "What do you want anyway, other than to hurt peoples' delicate injuries?"

Harry smiled a bit before the expression faded and his eyes went stony. "Yanno, Ginny almost died yesterday. Kedavra ricocheted off a mirror and hit her in the back. Had it been the actual thing, she'd of..." He trailed off, body slumping sideways against the wall.

Draco watched him, knowing well enough to not interrupt. Harry would continue to speak, eventually saying what he intended to.

"With that hanging over my head, I find myself not dwelling on the friend I almost lost but...but YOU."

Draco looked up, forehead wrinkled with cloudy confusion.

"It doesn't make sense, why I would be more worried about you than the girl I'm dating." He went on, eyes drifting to stare at the pond, as if the grindylows had the answers for him. "I heard what you did for me...I've seen it enough times to know it must be true..."

He stared down at his hands, a certain dread sneaking up his throat. "The Kedavra..."

Harry nodded grimly." Why, Draco? Why?"

A tiny bit of satisfaction settled in his stomach at the boy using his given name before he allowed himself to respond." I'm not sure. It was more reflex than anything."

"But why? The only person I can think of who'd sacrifice themselves so blindly to protect me is Ron, but that's only because we've known eachother for so long."

"We've known eachother just as long," Draco countered, idly toying with a lily pad.

"But he's my best mate, Draco. You're not."

The blonde flinched, but made no other signs of having been affected by such a cold comment." Then what am I?" Looking over at the silence that followed, Draco couldn't help but be incensed at the blank expression filling Harry's handsome face." What am I then? A comrade? An ally? A PET! I've done nothing but try to makeup for the mistakes I've made and yet you still question why I would give up my life. Well its simple, Harry. Because its YOU!"

The boy looked downright stumped and Draco had had enough. His heart was already brittle and his sanity snapping beneath the weight of his own emotions. So he staggered to his feet and hobbled away quickly, bitter tears framing his crestfallen grey eyes.

Changes were never necessarily a GOOD thing.

so far away, so far away for far too long  
but you know  
you know  
you KNOW--

A letter was all that was left of one Draco Malfoy when the others woke up the next morning. In small, curvy blue ink, Harry's name was scrawled across the cream envelope.

And he stood in the middle of the kitchen, Draco's little domain, the others surrounding him in silence as he read with growing dread the words neatly printed in the blonde's beautiful handwriting.

Dear Harry,

How many times have I tried to write something like this? Too many to count. Maybe the thought that I won't have to see your face makes me feel bold enough to really say what I need to.

I've never been able to put my emotions into words on this subject, so bear with me.

I love you. Its sad and pathetic but I love you. I love your infuriating optimism and unflinching trust in me. I love your bold outlook on life and its possibilities. I love when you smile at me. I love when you bless me with those few and brief touches. I love that sinking feeling of dread you give me when you tell me about Ginny. I love the spirals of hopelessness you send me down. I just love that I can still love you.

I thought I had forgotten how to love, but seems I'd only forgotten how to love anyone else cause you...I never had a problem loving you. Before I even knew I was capable of letting myself love, I loved you. You snuck into my heart and pitched a permanent home and refused to fucking leave. So I let you. Even though I cried and pleaded and fought, you stayed inside me and became my voice of reason.

When I knew I couldn't go on, when I stared up at the sky and enjoyed the weak helplessness that overtook my bleeding body, I heard your voice and it screamed at me to pick myself up and fight. It might've not been in the quantity you intended, but it was enough, right?

I can't help but think that maybe if I fixed myself, that maybe if I became strong and reliable and everything you wanted me to be, you'd want me. Maybe if I had been a girl, you'd want me. Cause that's why you don't, right? You had enough problems in your life and you didn't need to be bearing mine as well. I know that. But I needed to fall. I needed to cry and feel and hurt. I'd denied it for way too long and I just wish you could've understood that.

So even if you never return my feelings, I'LL know and it'll be enough.

You'll always have someone loving you and looking up to you, Harry. You'll never be alone cause I'll always be at your side. You'll never have to cry by yourself or carry your own burdens, cause I'll always be there to help. ALWAYS.

Eternally,

Draco

Hermione and Ron didn't know what to do when their allegedly strong and stoic friend suddenly dropped to his knees, tears trickling from horrified green eyes. But they did as they were told and filed out of the kitchen, leaving Harry to the deafening silence he used to share with Draco Malfoy.

i wanted--i wanted you to stay  
cause i needed--I need to hear you say;

Dusk spread across the tops of the buildings like a flood, and the warmth of the day was slowly ebbing away to give into the night. Draco crossed the roof of the building to lean against the cement railing, long platinum hair sweeping across his face in the summer air. His leg gave a twinge but he ignored it, used to the occasional pangs of discomfort from his month-old injury. It seemed so long ago that his life had been nothing but chaos and agony. His existence now seemed to be slow. Monotonous even. All the wounds of his life had hardened into scars leaving him in a sedated limbo. The bitter acceptance of nothing hadn't exactly made him happy, however. But then again, he hadn't expected happiness from running away.

With the sky painted a myriad of golds and reds and oranges and pinks and purples, Draco gave a soft sigh, eyelids drooping at the beauty of it all. Some music from a cafe was floating up from the street below, and he smiled delicately, leaning a cheek in his palm. He liked this particular song sing it spoke of fierce unrequited love and eternal devotion. Usually songs of this nature sickened him and he would hurry away to avoid being sucked into those painful memories, but this one...he enjoyed.

Closing his eyes to let the words dance round him in elegant tendrils the same color as sunset, he barely noticed the soft creak as the door to the roof opened. A crunch of gravel jerked him from his lovely daydream and he spun around in alarm as two syllables said in a breathless tenor reached him.

"Draco."

He was alarmed to see the last person he expected to encounter in the heart of Muggle Manhattan.

"Harry."

Those green eyes still spoke volumes in face of overwhelming situations. They were conflicted and relieved and ashamed and loving and frustrated and outraged. Harry bit his lip and frowned, no more words escaping his mouth. But much like their entire friendship, words were never really needed.

Draco saw it. In those emerald depths, shining inside the tears threatening to escape a determined pride. He saw his own letter held out in a firm but gentle grasp and he nodded at the unspoken question.

Harry paused, exhaled a breath he'd been holding for quite some time then stepped forward. Draco was then swept into a fierce hug, his slender body molding perfectly into the brunette's broader one. He rested in the warm dip of Harry's neck and took a deep breath in hopes to memorize the scent, if this turned out to all be a hoax.

"Draco."

The single word was uttered with such affection, such sorrow, such LONGING, it caused the blonde to shiver and burrow closer.

"I've been searching all this time." Harry muttered into Draco's soft hair.

"I know." Draco replied against Harry's throat.

"But I found you."

"I knew you would."

Perhaps the words had some deeper meaning, perhaps not. Draco and Harry hardly ever said more than what was absolutely necessary. And some things, like promises of eternal devotion and apologies, weren't needed. It was all said in the small shift of Draco's body and the tender brush of lips against lips.

And as the song continued to flutter round them like butterflies, and Harry began to sway them to the gentle melody and Draco struggled to fight back tears as his lips were captured once more, the unspoken words were as clearly and boldly stated as if they came from their very lips.

"I love you. I've loved you all along. I forgive you, for being away, for far too long. So keep breathing cause I'm not leaving you anymore--believe it--hold onto me and never let me go."


End file.
